WHL Bantam Draft Thread

The Western Hockey League’s 15th Annual Bantam Draft is being held this Thursday in Calgary, Alberta.

Teams will select from a pool of players from Western Canada and the Western United States with a birth year of 1989. These players will not be eligible full-time to play in the Western Hockey League until the 2005-06 season.


Draft order:
First Round
1 Prince George Cougars - Ryan Kerr (Defense) - North Vancouver, B.C.
2 Saskatoon Blades - Colton Gillies (Forward) - Semiahmoo, B.C.
3 Seattle Thunderbirds - Thomas Hickey (Defense) - Calgary, Ab
4 Lethbridge Hurricanes - Dwight King (Forward) - Meadow Lake, Sk
5 Regina Pats - Brett Leffler (Forward) - Wynyard, Sk
6 Red Deer Rebels (from Brandon) - Brandon Sutter (Forward) - Red Deer, Ab
7 Kootenay Ice - John Negrin (Defense) – West Vancouver, B.C.
8 Spokane Chiefs - Drayson Bowman (Forward) - Denver, Co
9 Tri-City Americans - Joel Broda (Forward) - Prince Albert, Sk
10 Portland Winter Hawks - Colton Sceviour (Forward) - Red Deer, Ab
11 Brandon Wheat Kings (from Kamloops) - Keith Aulie (Defense) - Rouleau, Sk
12 Swift Current Broncos - Paul Postma (Defense) - Red Deer, Ab
13 Calgary Hitmen (from Everett) - Brett Sonnie (Forward) - Maple Ridge, B.C.
14 Vancouver Giants - Tyson Sexsmith (Goaltender) - Priddies, Ab
15 Everett Silvertips (from Calgary) - Eric Doyle (Defense) - Calgary, Ab
16 Kamloops Blazers (from Red Deer) - Travis Dunstall (Forward) - Onoway, Ab
17 Prince Albert Raiders - Justin Pulazzo (Defense) - Kamloops, B.C.
18 Moose Jaw Warriors - Travis Ehrhardt (Defense) - Calgary, Ab
19 Medicine Hat Tigers - Jordie Deagle (Forward) - Lethbridge, Ab
20 Kelowna Rockets - Luke Scheen (Defense) - Saskatoon, Sk

I will fill in the rest of the rounds later today.

Further Rounds
1 Saskatoon Blades
2 Regina Pats
3 Seattle Thunderbirds
4 Brandon Wheat Kings
5 Prince George Cougars
6 Lethbridge Hurricanes
7 Kootenay Ice
8 Spokane Chiefs
9 Tri-City Americans
10 Portland Winter Hawks
11 Kamloops Blazers
12 Swift Current Broncos
13 Everett Silvertips
14 Vancouver Giants
15 Calgary Hitmen
16 Red Deer Rebels
17 Prince Albert Raiders
18 Moose Jaw Warriors
19 Medicine Hat Tigers
20 Kelowna Rockets

It just gets weirder...

:dunno:

Anyone know the top players for this draft?

Anyone know the top players for this draft?
http://www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=74002

One noticeable thing about this year's draft is the lack of size. I noticed it while looking over a prospect list, Fedz mentioned the same thing to me, and I heard Lorne Frey, the Rockets' head scout, make the same comment in a radio interview last night. Anybody know if there's been some sort of crackdown on exaggerating the kids' heights and weights, or is this just an unusually undersized draft class?

Yes the Raiders picked Palazzo. He and Gauthier will be a scary duo to go against.

Dylin Dahl in the 4th is terrible. Im from the Saskatoon like him, im 16, and when I was 14 playin Midget 2 instead of Bantam I was better than he was. I also know Luke Scheen who was taking 20th by Kelowna and that might have been a bit early for him aswell

Yes the Raiders picked Palazzo. He and Gauthier will be a scary duo to go against.

Dont forget about Jeff May as well.

Not many BC kids goin in the draft, and yes they seem alot smaller this year!

124Brandon Wheat KingsRed Deer RebelsPavl LevarskyLW01/16/89Surrey, BC125Prince George CougarsPrab RaiC11/22/89Surrey, BC

Levarsky is a very surprising pick. I didn't think he'd be drafted.

Prab will be a very good player, but he definetely needs work.

Sexsmith: Great pick by the Giants.

Obviously, Brandon Sutter is from the famous Sutter family but I was wondering whose son he is? Born in Red Deer, is he in fact coach Brent Sutter's kid???

Thanks in advance.

Sexsmith: Great Pick For GiantsI cannot believe he dropped that far. That is by far the steal of the draft.

Also, Jag68Vlady27, Sutter is Brent's kid.

I see Everett & Calgary swapped picks...what transpired?

Not many BC kids goin in the draft, and yes they seem alot smaller this year!

Yes but the top 2 picks are from BC (again). :yo:

And, the players seem smaller because their height/weight stats arent exaderated as much.

Fedz,
thank you mucho!

Look who the Raiders drafted 137th overall. (http://www.whl.ca/draft/draftpick.php?round=7)

Even if he'll never become a superstar, he'll have at least a superstar name. :D

Look who the Raiders drafted 137th overall.</FONT> (http://www.whl.ca/draft/draftpick.php?round=7)

Even if he'll never become a superstar, he'll have at least a superstar name. :D
Micheal is actually a very good player.

EDIT: Didn't work out as planned. I'll have the full draft to you all by tomorrow.


Until then, just go here.


http://www.whl.ca/draft/draftpick.php?round=1

Micheal is actually a very good player.

Yeah. He's from Raymore, and if he played with Raymore, I played against him earlier this year, he was probably their best guy, and the whole team was amazing.

Brett Breitkreitz(sp?) was a great pick for Kelowna. He's a really big kid, and is a fairly good hockey player. Look for him on the Yorkton Harvest next year.

Another Saskatchewan kid who I know that got picked is Colton MacPherson, who was a decent pick. Even though he played "B" hockey, he was a horse on defense, and played Midget for alot of the year.

BTW, Leffler was a great pick by Regina. Good to also see that Bernhardt isn't going to be really considered one of their "top" guys. He might crack line #1 in the future, but I think Leffler and McDonald are the guys that will lead the franchise. It'll also be good to see Berhardt's ego get deflated a bit.

Yeah. He's from Raymore, and if he played with Raymore, I played against him earlier this year, he was probably their best guy, and the whole team was amazing.

Brett Breitkreitz(sp?) was a great pick for Kelowna. He's a really big kid, and is a fairly good hockey player. Look for him on the Yorkton Harvest next year.

Another Saskatchewan kid who I know that got picked is Colton MacPherson, who was a decent pick. Even though he played "B" hockey, he was a horse on defense, and played Midget for alot of the year.

BTW, Leffler was a great pick by Regina. Good to also see that Bernhardt isn't going to be really considered one of their "top" guys. He might crack line #1 in the future, but I think Leffler and McDonald are the guys that will lead the franchise. It'll also be good to see Berhardt's ego get deflated a bit.
Leffler is a great player, and he'll enjoy even more in Regina, too.

Micheal is actually a very good player.

Jeez, couldn't they have at least made it ''Mike'' Jordan?

There was an article in the LP about Leffler today. Apparently, Regina had him #1 on their list, and Parker felt like he won the lottery when Leffler fell to him. Leffler apparently was told either Saskatoon or Regina would pick him, and he lost a bit of sleep on the topic.

It's good for him to go to Regina, as Wynyard's only like an hour and a half away. It's always good when a kid's family gets to watch their son play in the dub.

Also, it mentioned that Colton Gilles could've potentially gone first overall, but he told the Cougars that he wanted to play for Saskatoon, so they took Kerr instead.

Also, it mentioned that Colton Gilles could've potentially gone first overall, but he told the Cougars that he wanted to play for Saskatoon, so they took Kerr instead.
I think picking Kerr was a much smarter choice. I don't like Gillies one bit.

As a Blades fan I would like to know what it is that troubles you about Colton Gilles?

I hate the fact these kids are drafted as bantams, I wish the WHL draft was conducted more as the OHL draft is. Select them a year older, you have more time to assess their development, and they can step into the lineup almost immediately instead of waiting a year as happens in the dub.

As a Blades fan I would like to know what it is that troubles you about Colton Gilles?

I hate the fact these kids are drafted as bantams, I wish the WHL draft was conducted more as the OHL draft is. Select them a year older, you have more time to assess their development, and they can step into the lineup almost immediately instead of waiting a year as happens in the dub.
Gillies. Why don't I like him? Well for one, hes dirty. Very dirty. Very, Very, Very Dirty.

Hes weak on his 6'4 frame. Very easy to take him down, and his shoot is not as good as people think. He has tons of potential though, just needs a ton of work.

On the draft fact, I wish it was a year later, I would have been drafted. :yo:

Thomas Hickey (Seattle, 3rd Overall) is an absolute beauty.